DeLay originally was indicted in September on charges of conspiring to violate the state election code. Under House Republican caucus rules, he had to immediately step aside as majority leader.

He was reindicted in October on charges of conspiring to violate the election code, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering.

The charges stemmed from how the DeLay-founded Texans for a Republican Majority spent corporate money in connection to 2002 Texas House elections. State law bans the use of corporate money in campaigns for elective office.

Senior District Judge Pat Priest in December threw out the charges involving the election code, but he let stand the money laundering charges.

Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle then appealed Priest's ruling to the Third Court of Appeals, and Priest stayed further proceedings in DeLay's criminal case until that appeal was decided.

DeLay's lawyers asked the Court of Criminal Appeals to intercede, accusing Earle of appealing Priest's ruling just to keep DeLay from coming to trial in January. Exoneration at a January trial had been considered to be his best shot at regaining the leadership position.